I have been a bit absent from blogging due to the good weather and the need to get the land and house a bit more sorted before it gets toooo hot. I am also researching aspects of nature in Sweden and Norway for part of my novel. This has been fascinating.
Spring has started here and there are lots of bluebells out on the Finca. I will post soon on the wild flowers too.
There was a wonderful prompt from Dverse poets based on collective terms for birds e.g. a murmuration of starlings. There has been some striking and original poetry based on this and worth visiting the different posts on Mr.Linky for that post. As I missed it I will try Open link night for the one I wrote last week. This is another opportunity to discover lots of innovative poetry.
Recently Becky from Hidden Delights of the Algarve posted photographs of large groups of Avocets. The group name is ‘an orchestra of Avocets’. We recently saw a large group of ravens fly over our roof at Navasola. Usually there is a pair that flies but one evening I was called out to see a very large number together. On reading the term for this ‘an unkindness of Ravens’ on the Dverse prompts I didn’t think it was quite fair!
The Call of the Raven
Once I measured my life with sonic booms
Each day at 6 the great white bird
From Manhattan to Heathrow flew.
We heard, we looked, we never knew
There could ever be
A nevermore of Concordes.
Now I measure my life with the Ravens’ call.
Often about the time when night does fall,
Two fly over the roof towards the West.
To roost perhaps, to find some rest.
Lifelong mates speak together.
A chattercroak of Ravens
Once there were much louder cries.
So high above in fading skies,
20 to 30 together they flew
We looked above but never knew,
The name to call them.
An unkindness of Ravens.
Can such birds be more unkind than human kind?
Can talk, use tools, and a loyal mate they find.
They do not kill but pick at death,
To clean the earth from rotting flesh.
Unkindness seems unkind for clearing mess.
A cleansing of Ravens!
Where that great flock of ravens went
And why so many in such numbers spent
The early evening time together.
We will never know for sure.
Do such birds fear changing weather?
A warning of Ravens.
A pair are kept within Old London’s tower
Must never leave as there is fear
Of a fallen King and loss of power.
A kind old Raven sheds a tear.
For human heads upon a spear.
A kingdom of Ravens may be more fair.
Thanks to Dverse poets, yet again for inspiration and to TS Eliot whose Mr Prufock ‘measured out his life in coffee spoons’ I feel fortunate to be able to measure mine with birds and not aeroplanes these days.( although just recently tins of paint too!)
(photo courtesy of Wikicommons and taken at the Tower of London, UK)
I’ve always been intrigued by the collective names for birds, like in a “murder of crows”. Now that you bring up the case of the ravens, too, I feel like doing some research to see where the names come from.
I love the outrage your speaker voices. And the fact that she speaks for the ravens’ kindness.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, well they do clean up for us!
LikeLike
looking forward to this novel!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, I must keep going. Am enjoying the writing and research but not sure about the next stages!
LikeLike
Awesome images!
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like the: A chattercroak of Ravens, and kingdom of ravens ~ I find it interesting that: A pair are kept within Old London’s tower ~
I am glad you enjoyed that prompt and I am keeping the links in that post for future writing ~ Thanks for sharing at OLN ~
LikeLiked by 2 people
Oh please do keep the links as I still want to explore other poems from that!
LikeLike
I really enjoyed your various perspectives on ravens! And I agree that a kinngdom of ravens may be more fair!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, the poem just evolved that way!
LikeLike
As I’m also a bird watcher I can never feel any bird to be unkind. To me they are fairies, truly. And Ravens, may be ebony fairies?…love your poem….
LikeLiked by 2 people
They certainly are a beautiful glossy ebony black!
LikeLike
A nice shot of humour and wondering in this poem – ravens are very intelligent birds indeed, so their nasty reputation is not justified.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I like your spin!
LikeLiked by 2 people
The lilting rhythm makes this such a pleasure to read.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you, a sing song for the birds!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So timely for me as I look outside to see so many ravens (or at least huge black birds) on the lookout for their next meal. They are as large as our dogs!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes! And they get hungry. Seems they need good access to garbage dumps and corpses. Then they might not attack vulnerable livestock!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lots of small rodents here–don’t know if they go for living things. And baby ducklings, but the hawks seem to have priority there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good weather and gardening? A novel .. How exciting 😃
LikeLiked by 2 people
Yes, Spring is here but because we are high up there can still be strong ground frosts.
LikeLike
You’ve really paid tribute to these interesting creatures and I love how you ended each stanza with a new collective term. A “chattercroak of ravens”….that one will stick with me for awhile. 🙂
LikeLiked by 3 people
Love how you redeem the raven with your wonderful new collective nouns.
LikeLiked by 2 people
A new respect for ravens and names of birds. I love this poem. It is beautifully written.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, it was inspired by the sight of Ravens and the prompt!
LikeLiked by 1 person
A chattercroak of ravens, then. Definitely! 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
got around to rereading it. I like it eve(n)more now. A cleansing of Ravens..Yes! At least you will get the Parsee vote.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I really enjoyed your poem very much, the imagery and the new names for groups of Raven – delightful creativity!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks, it sort of wrote itself!
LikeLike
Love the poem. Very creative of you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I enjoyed your poem and as Ravens have a repertoire of 30-40 calls, which may be interpreted as a language, they might enjoy it too! I have another collective noun for you that I remember ‘ a Conspiracy of Ravens’, not sure if that is good or bad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sounds like a name for those in the Tower of London!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Found your site and your poetry Georgina. Lovely! I’ve recently joined the group Quaker Concern for Animals: http://www.quaker-animals.co.uk if you are interested. Anne
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good you found it and my focus is nature and biodiversity. Yes, I will look that Quaker concern up. It was a lovely meeting and good to see you all again.
LikeLike
Love your poem.
The collective noun for Raven I know is a ‘Mischief of Raven’
We are lucky to have a pair breeding most years in trees surrounding the ruins of an Iron Age Hillfort that dominates the view from our kitchen window.
Also not far from home in Newborough Forest, Anglesey, is the biggest Raven roost in Britain which at one time was the second largest in the world. Some 2000 birds at one time. That’s Awesome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s interesting and didn’t come across that one! There is a raven roost some miles from here near a castle and we think the ones we see fly over in the evening to return there. Such intelligent birds too but I hear they can become dangerous to young livestock and I read about some problems in Sweden. Sounds like you have a lovely view.
LikeLiked by 1 person